Keys
by Cheese 'n Nachos
Summary: as troubled teens sakura and sasuke come to understand each other. but sakura feels more than that. only then sasuke takes a wrong turn and breaks her heart. can sakura teach him to love again? can she cure his addiction? rated for LEMON
1. Chapter 1

It's a cheesy love story! Well not cheesy, but it is a love story. These three lovely children, Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke, experience adolescent life; trying to cope with their pasts while searching for a peace of mind in the future. It's a lot more interesting than it sounds! I mean, you all know how "interesting" high school is.

Yes, Sakura is the main character. Why? I am a girl and it's easier for me that way.

No, she is not my favorite character. I don't have one. I like all the characters equally! Except for Hinata; for some reason I like her less than the rest. However, I don't hate on her. Don't bite me.

Okay, couples: SasuSakuNaru. NO, it does not mean 'threesome'. It means

SasuSaku and NaruSaku. NaruSaku is my favorite couple, but this one is SasuSaku.

By the way, this story has NOTHING to do with them being ninjas.

"Haruno Sakura."

"Here."

The rest of the names were called out in an echo to her, as she began thinking about other things. Chemistry was the least favorite of her classes. It wasn't that she didn't do well in the subject; there just wasn't anyone she could talk to in that class familiarly. The one person who knew her name in that class sat at the opposite side from her, and so she never found the time to have a decent conversation with Hinata.

Holding that thought, she looked over Hinata, who was listening intently to the teacher lecture, and taking notes as swiftly as a reporter. Hinata is such a pretty girl, she thought to herself. She had lovely eyes, lovely curves, lovely hair, a lovely personality; she couldn't keep up with Hinata's list of loveliness.

Sakura knew that she herself was a plain girl: thin and short with a round face. Given the fact that she had rare, green eyes, they were always concealed by her bangs, whose sole purpose was to hide her unusually large forehead.

For a mind like Sakura's, that was constantly thinking, an entire day could go by and she would not remember a single person she saw or anything she might have said, all because she was so consumed in her thoughts.

So by the time it was lunch, only then did she stop thinking.

"Sakura," the voice beside her whined.

"Hmm?" Sakura turned her head to her left to find Ino frowning at her.

"Sakura," she whined again, "why are you covering your head with your bangs again?" She took the privilege of moving her bangs to the sides. "There! That looks way better on you."

Sakura smiled at the compliment, coming from the prettiest girl she knew. She giggled. "Thank you."

Ino immediately changed her train of thought. "You want to go to the movies tomorrow? It's a Friday and all, and my mom can get us in for free like last time."

The mentioning of free movie tickets caught the attention of the others at their lunch table.

Tenten, raising her eyebrows, said, "You're inviting me too right?"

"Well…"

"You better take me too, Ino. You owe me, like, 15 bucks already," Shikamaru gave his word out.

"I don't know if-"

"Huh? I want to come to! You owe me 20 bucks, damn." Naruto joined in.

"You guys-"

Choji frowned and added, "Yeah, you owe me 40 bucks and a date."

"Okay!" she exclaimed. "Okay. I'll take all of you-"

"Don't forget Hinata," said Sakura.

"Okay! Okay! Okay! Sheesh, I'm taking all of you. But no date."

Choji smiled teasingly, "You'll warm up to me eventually."

Ino stuck her tongue out in disgust. "Yeah. You're funny. Very funny."

"You didn't have to say it like that," he pouted.

"Thirty-one, thirty-six, four." Sakura listened to the click of her lock opening after entering the combination.

"Chemistry, English, Geometry…" She always said the classes she had homework in aloud, in paranoia that she might forget something. It happened on more than one occasion. While taking out the books from her top locker, her eyes circumvented the view to her right.

She was rarely alert after school. But today, she noticed how bright the sun was, and the exodus of people through the school gates, and the presence of people next to her, also trying to remember what books they need for their assignments. Oddly enough, she noticed her own feet; something she stared at constantly while walking.

Sakura slammed her locker and turned herself around to leave.

Shoes.

And not her own as a matter of fact. They were black, worn out, and big. In no less than a second, she was facing a tall boy. The look on his face made it seem like he was mad at the driver for running the truck over his puppy. He took the headphones out of his ears and looked straight at her, like he expected her to say something.

Sakura was not able to move, nor was she able to break her eyes away from his glare. She was scared, embarrassed, and confused, and nothing that could've happened in this moment that would make her feel comfortable. Slowly moving her gaze down to her feet, she hastily walked off towards the exit. Her dangerous curiosity, however, made her turn her head to look back at him, only to find him opening his locker; the bottom one under hers. Sakura turned herself away, afraid of meeting this stranger's eyes again. Then she went out through the school gates and he was gone.

Gone and out of her sight. She was safe out here, by the bus stop she waited at everyday.

However, her hasty mind hinted at her to think again. How long was his locker under hers? How long did she not notice him? How long did he wait behind her everyday, knowing that she existed, yet she did not even feel his presence? It made her feel naked. She let down a shiver and waited patiently for the next bus to come.

After 10 minutes or so of waiting, the bus finally arrived in all its rusty glory. Sakura stepped on and sat down, letting out a sigh of relief. Soon she would be home.

Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest when he entered the vehicle. _Him_. That scary figure. That shadow had been taking the same bus she had this past year. And I never noticed, she thought to herself.

He walked by her as if nothing had happened earlier. He showed no interest, no acknowledgment of her existence, and sat down in the farthest seat on the bus. Sakura bit at her nail and decided to give him no heed. After all, he was just another insignificant person. But she couldn't help to wonder about what had happened, all the way to the next stop and through the doors of her home, perpetually staring at her shoes.

Such a mystery as to who that stranger is huh? Well not really haha you guys know who it is!

I hope you enjoyed this first chapter! I would really love some feedback on what to work on (: Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

Even if not many people reviewed my story I will continue writing it for fun and practice :3

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Sakura didn't think that certain mysterious person would ever be a significant factor in her life, so when the shock from seeing him sitting behind Hinata in chemistry engulfed her, she brushed it off just as quickly. However, she couldn't stop thinking about the fact that he had been sittin g behind Hinata in the same class as her since the beginning of the school year…and she had never noticed him. She was always thinking, afterall.

She sat down and brushed her hair out of her face. She took a small case out that held her glasses and gave out a deep, long sigh. She looked at the clock; two minutes of class had gone by. Sakura sat and endured impatiently.

He was there. He was always waiting for her during snack and lunch. 'I am so unlucky,' Sakura thought to herself every time she felt his presence.

As the school day ended and as she finally slammed her locker, she felt his presence standing behind her, as if he was haunting her. She turned around to find him looking at the floor and listening to his music and waiting (as usual). Sakura stared at him with a mixed expression of confusion and curiosity. Unexpectedly, he looked back up at her, right into her eyes. He looked straight at her with no care, as if they had been good friends for a long time and it was okay to look at her like that. Sakura had never been stared at like that by a stranger. Her heart skipped a beat. Her stomach turned. Her throat dried. Her thoughts were spinning from embarrassment.

Then he brought his gaze back to the floor and maneuvered his way around her and began spinning the combination to his lock.

Sakura was in a state of empty astonishment. He had seen her looking at him, and did not even acknowledge her, did not even say anything, did not even ask why she was staring at him. She was curious of him now more than ever, but her pride was hurting and didn't allow her to further investigate his character. She walked away rather angrily, hoping he would look back and feel guilty about her pissed-off walk.

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The movie night went well. The only people she really knew were Ino and Shikamaru, so she didn't bother to socialize much with the others. Hinata and Tenten were Ino's friends and Naruto was Shikamaru's friend. And that's the way it was. Besides, Sakura wasn't the type of person who would want to be someone's friend, or walk up to people just because she wanted to get to know them. She had never met anyone that interesting. She would rather wait and see if the person came up to her. And that's the way she was.

It was now 6:00 pm, and she had already left her friends to go home. Her parents were out today so she intelligently made the decision to leave early. She would not walk alone in the dark.

Time slowed as she walked. The weather was just perfect in the middle of March. Her shadow was at the exact same angle. The breeze blew some dust into her eyes. The timing was exact. It felt like that day. Her eyes fluttered and she let out an uneasy breath. Her hand shook as she reached into her bag and took out the small case. She put on her glasses nervously and quickly looked around herself, her eyes rapidly darting from side to side. Then she shook off the feeling of uneasiness and continued on her way home.

She cried that night.

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Sakura woke up the next morning with swollen eyes and a hangover.

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this wasn't much of a chapter haha no dialogue xD

but I didn't want to begin writing about sakura's experience on Monday hehe

its going to be interesting! Sort of?

If anyone's confused about sakura's dilemma, im sorry but you'll just have to wait and see!

Its hard to write this because it has so much detail I cant miss out on

That's why it really boring right now xD sorry!


	3. Ch3 Day One: Salutations and Disarray

finally Sakura and Sasuke communicate through words! xD

alrighty here we go O.o I will make this chapter as long as possible!

I shall be italicizing thoughts now

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Sakura did not want to go to school. Her mind would be somewhere else in a place that was hard to escape. She would catch her friends' attention with her strange attitude and they would bother her with their concerned questions. It's happened before. The last thing she wanted was to attract attention and snap at someone. Her mother shook her, trying to get her out of bed.

"Get up!"

"No…" Sakura mumbled. She turned over and tried to cover her ears with her thoughts.

"If you don't get up right now I'm going to take away your laptop and I am not joking! Go brush your teeth Sakura!"

This enough caught her attention and Sakura sat up and groaned. "Fine fine…" she knew it was better not to argue with her mother. Her mother wouldn't understand why she couldn't go to school today. Parents never understood.

Sakura entered her bathroom and locked the door by habit. She sighed, staring at her reflection in the mirror. She looked down into the sink. It was filled with blood; thick, red blood. Sakura's eyes widened in horror. As soon as she blinked, the image was gone. The sink was white and empty. She clenched her fists and let go, shaking. _No, no,_ she thought, _it's not going to get to me_. She closed her eyes tight and tried to clear her head. That's when she decided that she alone could not do that, and opened a bottle of pain killer pills. She took out five and swallowed them all on an empty stomach. In about half an hour, she would feel better.

As they drove to school, her mother turned her head slightly to Sakura. "You didn't eat breakfast again?" Sakura noticed her mother's eyebrows folded in vexation. "I brought some with me," she lied. Sakura lied to her mother countless times. She made it look like an art.

Once she stepped out of the car, the scent of her school calmed her and the effect of the pain killers took over. Today wouldn't be so bad after all.

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Sakura saw him everywhere. He had such a figure that was impossible not to notice. When she walked from 1st to 2nd period, they walked the same way. She followed behind him and looked over from him the back. He wore tight but not too tight black jeans held up by a white studded belt. His hooded jacket was a mint green color. His shoes were old and worn out. He had a red messenger bag hanging from his shoulder and his black hair was spiked up in the back. Despite his distaste in fashion, it bothered her that it made him look absolutely attractive. But what annoyed her most of all was the sound emitted from him when he walked. There, hanging from his back pocket, was a keychain with a little over a dozen keys attached to it and they jingled and made cacophonous noises with every step he took. They were still ringing through her ears when she turned the corner to her 2nd period class.

He was there during snack and took forever at his locker. He passed by the place Sakura hung out with her friends. He passed by Sakura during a passing period between 5th and 6th. It turned out he was in her 6th period too. At this point she felt like he _wanted_ her to notice him.

When the bell rang to end the day, Sakura immediately grabbed her bag and walked out of the classroom. She was always ready before the bell…that and she wanted to get to her locker before him. She opened her locker with a jerk. She was nervous. Today she would approach him. Today she would finally end her agony and satisfy her curiosity. She slammed her locker with force and stood up straight. Her anxiety was gone now and she was confident. She turned around and looked straight forward. He was there, as expected. He didn't notice her, as he was listening to his music and facing the ground. Sakura titled her head slightly and lifted her hand. She waved it a bit under his face to gain his attention. He looked up at her with anticipated eyes and his mouth almost, _almost_ in a smirk. The right corner of his mouth was slightly lifted as if he was happy about something. The "smile" disappeared in an instant as he took the headphones out of his ears. He waited.

Sakura smiled politely. "Hi!" She sounded overenthusiastic.

His eyes darted to the side before looking back at her. "Hi…" He looked confused.

Sakura felt something like accomplishment or domination; rather superiority over him for by the look on his face he looked like he was caught off guard. She smiled proudly this time. "I'm Sakura."

The tall boy raised his eyebrows and grinned. "Okay." He took as step forward and started to open his locker. He left Sakura astonished once more. Her prideful smile was gone now and she bent down and leaned her head closer to him. "And your name is?"

"Sasuke."

Sakura nodded her head once and pressed her lips together. "Okay well…bye Sasuke." Again, overenthusiastic.

He finally opened his locker. "Bye Sakura." He sounded like he was laughing.

Sakura nodded her head once more and walked away. She bit her lip. _He is annoying_, she thought. She had introduced herself and he did not even tell her his name until she asked. He laughed at her. _He is stupid_, she thought, _only stupid people don't have manners_. She walked up the stairs to the second floor to her chemistry class for after school tutoring. She stopped in front of the door. _Sasuke_, she repeated in her head. _What a strange name_. Then she walked in.

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Sakura left the classroom at about 4:10, already an hour after school usually ended. As she walked down from the 1st floor to the 2nd, she began thinking. Chemistry was the only class she was getting a B in. She was an accomplished straight A student until she entered the 10th grade. It annoyed her. She spent extra time on her chemistry class but in vain; her tests were never scored higher than a B and it brought her entire grade down. Sakura had always felt a prideful superiority over the people she knew. She knew she was smarter, a harder worker than most, and she had something most nerds didn't have. Respect. Sakura was fulfilled in this way, maintaining her ego at the enormous size that it was. But now that her report card spelled AAABAAA, she felt put down. The only thing that she could claim to be better than anyone was drawing, but that was the way it was throughout her life. Art was…

_Sasuke?_

As soon as she reached the first floor she saw him standing about 20 feet away from her, listening to music and looking at his cell phone. Sakura was surprised, but at the same time content. He was there and she could talk to him again. _Wait, why do I want to talk to him?_ She was so curious. He was something special. Perhaps it was because he never showed any interest in her (Reverse psychology?). Or perhaps it was because of her constant need to know, and she desperately wanted to know the mystery behind this person.

In other words, she was a nosy know-it-all who needed to know it all or else she would become nosy.

"Sasuke!"

No answer. She took a few steps forward and shouted his name again. "Sasuke!"

This time her turned his head her way and removed his headphones from his ears. He lifted his arm and gave her a wave. Sakura took this as an invitation and approached him. "You're going to go deaf that way," she said matter-of-factly.

"What?" his eyebrows lifted.

"You're going to go deaf that way."

"Huh?"

"I said you're going to go deaf."

"What?" A smile.

"You're…" she paused. Her lips closed into a frown. Sasuke chuckled and looked back at his cell phone.

Sakura couldn't help but to smile at his joke with pressed lips. "What are you still doing at school?"

"Hn…" he closed his cell phone and stuck it in his pocket. "Waiting for my brother to pick me up."

"He's really late," she stated the obvious.

"Yeah. I'm going to walk home." He turned away from her and walked towards the gate.

Sakura followed next to him. "Which way do you walk home?"

Sasuke smirked and looked down; he would look almost bashful if his face would've looked more innocent when he talked. "I live down this street and I turn left on Akatsuki."

Sakura smiled cheerfully from excitement. "Me too! But I go down two streets lower."

"Alright then, let's walk home together."

Sakura smiled and nodded her head once. "Okay!"

They walked down the street talking about petty things that people usually talk about when they have just met; likes, dislikes hobbies, grades. Grades however, became a competitive subject.

"I'm a bit of a nerd," smiled Sakura, "I used to get straight As, but I've been slacking in chemistry lately." What a lie. All for the sake of her pride.

"Oh, chemistry is easy. I'm getting an A." He grinned smugly.

_Chemistry is easy_, Sakura's inner self mimicked. "Well not for everyone."

Sasuke shrugged and bit the side of his lip. "Yeah, I'm getting a B in history though."

"History is so easy!" she said without thinking. There was a hint of disbelief in her voice. Sasuke looked to the side in annoyance. He was listening to music with one ear and listening to her babble with the other. Sakura turned her head to him smiled. "You like music, huh?"

Though he wasn't facing her, Sakura could tell that his eyes lit up when she said 'music'. "Yeah…music is life to me." Sakura smiled and said nothing. She adjusted her bag to her shoulder. It was getting uncomfortable.

Sasuke noticed this from the corner of his eye. "Is your bag heavy? Let me carry it."

Sakura felt her face turn a little pink. "No, no! It's okay. It's not that heavy. I can carry it."

"No really," he removed Sakura's bag from her shoulder and swung it onto his, " I'll carry it, and you can hold my textbook if you feel useless." He grinned. Sakura took his textbook timidly and held it close to her chest, feeling a little embarrassed. "Thank you."

He didn't answer her and kept on walking. Later they discussed things like people they knew, funny experiences, embarrassing moments; with Sasuke chuckling every now and then and Sakura giggling cheerfully.

"…and we ate like 3 burritos each," Sasuke was saying, "and then we held the lighter to Suigetsu's ass and his fart caught fire." He paused and laughed in a sick, nostalgic way while Sakura "ewwed". "His bitchy girlfriend wouldn't try it with us. Kill joy. I hate her with a passion."

"How fun." She tried not to smile.

"So fun." He sighed happily as they walked by the street his home was located on. Sakura noticed this.

"Hey, we just passed Akatsuki."

"Yeah I know. I'm walking you home." This made Sakura stop. Sasuke continued walking until he noticed she was left behind. He turned around, his face demanding to know why she stopped walking. He was surprised when he saw her looking at him with a sad, innocent expression. He furrowed his brow and said the only thing one could say in this situation. "What's wrong?"

Sakura took a breath. "Why are you being so nice to me?" she whined. "You don't have to walk me home." She had never experienced such kindness from a stranger. As a matter of fact, she had never experienced it from her friends either. She was always the one doing nice things for people without a selfish motive. It almost annoyed her to meet someone who was just like herself.

"Heh," he laughed briefly, "I have nothing to do after school. I don't mind." His grin disappeared. "Besides, I don't like going home early."

Sakura accepted this with a thankful smile.

By the time they reached her home, they were just done talking about how fat the world was getting, and how the hormones that were in their food could affect even apples. 'Apples with muffin tops'. It was strange to talk about, but Sakura savored every word that was uttered in their conversation. He always had something interesting to say.

Like: "I look at the ground all the time when I walk. My bangs cover my eyes sometimes, so finally when I lift my head up I go 'Oh…It's the sky.'" Sakura giggled.

She then realized that they had been talking for a while now in front of her home. "Okay, well I'm going to go home. Here's your book." She handed it to him delicately. He received it and returned her bag to her.

"And here's your bag."

They stared at each other for a while. During this time, Sakura took the advantage to look at his face. It was oval, outlined carefully with his bangs. He had cold, dark eyes that popped, thanks to his black lashes. His snowy white skin was swirled smooth. Handsome, she concluded. Sakura quickly looked down at her feet. "B-bye." She turned away and started towards the door of her home.

"Bye, Sakura."

She closed the door quickly and leaned against it. She took small, quick breaths. Her heart was racing. Her face was burning. She moaned a bit and touched her forehead. Sakura had forgotten what it was like to feel ridiculously nervous. He was so different, more different than anybody she had ever met. There was something behind him, something that revealed his secrets as to why he always stared at the ground, why he was so open, why he was uncommonly nice, why he seemed not to notice his surroundings; a mystery. Perhaps it could explain why she suddenly cared about him. _I care, why do I care?_ Her face suddenly turned pale.

_Do I like him?_

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there! Omg I tried hard with this one xD

I'm sorry if the street names lacked imagination xD I just wanted something related to the manga you know?

Sasuke is pretty out of character (: don't worry! You haven't completely gotten to know him yet! He will become more in character, you'll see…

Next chapters are about their development as friends. Who knows what will happen between these two prideful freaks :3

This story is written in third person limited, so we can only go along with what sakura sees and feels (:


	4. Ch4 Day Two: Matters and Friendship

Okay I am going to call the last chapter day 1

This chapter is called Day 2

And in the next chapter you'll see why! ;D

Anyways, I am very glad that there is another person reading my story (: thank you for your time! Hehe

Here we go…!

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3:12 am.

Sakura woke up with a rough jerk. She was breathing heavily and soaked with sweat. _Damn it, damn it!!_ She flung the covers off of herself and stumbled into the bathroom. She turned on the running water in the tub and waited for it to heat up. Leaning herself against the sink, she caught her reflection in the mirror and began thinking. She hadn't had that nightmare in so long. To have it appear again seemed like a bad sign. Sakura wiped her forehead and entered the steaming water. She closed her eyes, thinking, thinking…

_Sakura was twelve years old and still in the seventh grade. _

_Depressed and lonely after her first boyfriend had "divorced" her even after he….anyways, she slowly left the atmosphere of friendship. Only because she was stupid and young and her first love was gone. It was the end of the world to her. _

"_Sakura?" said Ino, the only person who bothered to talk to her anymore._

"_Yes?"_

"_Why don't you wear your glasses outside? You can't see, remember?"_

_Sakura smiled faintly. "I don't want tan lines."_

"_Oh…"_

_Sakura waved and left Ino. The original way she walked home was through a very quiet neighborhood; not the loud main street she walks down in the present. The peacefulness gave her time to think, to cry, to be by herself. _

_Ino was right, she couldn't see well. Everything was blurry, faded. She couldn't see her own two feet clearly. _

_The street was dead quiet. The only forms of life that seemed to be existent were the trees. Even on this October day, there was no wind to sway them and make them seem alive. It was warm. Her shadow followed her ominously._

_She suddenly heard a familiar noise. It was something so easily recognizable in the world she lived in; the motor of a car. A single car driving past this lifeless neighborhood seemed like a miracle. The car was getting closer, closer…_

"Sakura!" her mother's muffled voice was heard behind the door, locked. "Why did you wake up so early?"

Sakura's eyes shot open. She sat up and paused her thoughts. "I couldn't sleep." Her words were hoarse for her throat was dry. At least that wasn't a lie.

"Go back to sleep when you're done, okay?"

"Okay…" Sakura hugged herself, thankful to her mother for breaking her train of thought. She left the bathroom and watched T.V. until it was time for her to go to school.

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Snack wasn't her favorite part of the day. All it consisted of were people she knew sitting around her talking about something trivial or complaining about teachers or trying to finish homework that should've been done the night before. Oddly enough, it contented her. Life was happening around her, every bad or good event, and there was nothing to complain about. Usually she would join into a conversation or tell her friends about something funny that had happened to her, but today she was thinking about yesterday's afternoon. She wasn't thinking about Sasuke as much as she was thinking of what she felt that day. She had only talked to him for an hour, one hour in her entire lifetime, and she felt as if they had known each other for years. It bothered her like a toothache.

"Sakuraaa," Ino whined, shaking her by the shoulder. Sakura pouted and smiled. "Whaaat."

Ino leaned close to Sakura's face. "Who is that guy talking to Tentennn?" she whined again, whispering this time.

Sakura glimpsed at Tenten, who was standing near but not near enough to hear what she was saying. There, with his back facing Sakura, stood Sasuke, savvy and delighted. Adrenaline suddenly tightened Sakura's muscles. She swallowed and blinked her eyes twice. "That's…Sasuke."

"Eehh?" Ino sounded surprised. She raised her voice a bit. "You know him?"

Sakura's eyes wandered. " …yeah. We met yesterday." At that moment Sasuke turned his body to her and caught her eye. Sakura nearly choked on the air. It wasn't that she felt nervous around him; it was because she wasn't comfortable with Ino knowing about his existence and his acquaintance with her. She knew now that she would soon be bombarded with questions. He waved at her. Sakura smiled contently and waved back and he turned away as soon as she did so. She felt a slight desire to know what he was saying to Tenten in such a happy way. Seeing him happy was…

"Sakura?" Ino pushed that one out. Ino's anticipation to know was clear.

As if on cue, however, the bell rang for third period, and Sakura smiled at Ino in the most thoughtful, sarcastic way and told her that she will see her later. Her eyes wandered to Sasuke's figure. 'Later' she heard him say to Tenten. As soon as Tenten was gone, Sasuke's face changed; it changed to that empty, lifeless expression. He looked tortured, miserable. He lowered his head and walked away to wherever he was supposed to go. A feeling of worry panged at Sakura's chest.

This was the first sign.

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"Thank you Miss," Sakura said to her chemistry teacher as she closed the door on her way out after tutoring. She stood still for a couple of seconds, and then violently threw her book down. She crouched and grabbed her hair and gritted her teeth. "I can't do it." Not being able to understand the subject was frustrating. _I'm at a low B now. I'm going downhill…_

Sakura sighed sadly and picked up her book from the floor. Going down the stairs she thought about how she was going to raise her grade up. How would she live up to her parents' expectations with that B bringing her entire GPA down? She exited the staircase and turned the corner to finally leave the awful place.

There stood the last person she expected to see: Sasuke.

Nonchalantly, she continued walking. He was listening to his music and twisting from side to side in place once in a while. He quickly glanced up at her once and looked away, as if pretending not to notice her. Sakura smiled and stopped in front of him. "What are you still doing at school, you silly goose?"

He looked to his side, a bit uncomfortable with the question. "I don't like going home early."

"But," she argued, "I've never seen you after school this late, ever."

Sasuke made a noise that sounded like a quiet grunt. He waved off the fact and he started walking his way onto the street. Sakura followed.

She grinned bashfully. "You were waiting for me, weren't you?" Her tone was centered in ridicule.

Sasuke lifted his head and put his hands in his pockets and laughed. "Yeah."

"You think I'm cool, huh?"

"Yeah."

Sakura smiled.

He laughed. "You're awesome."

"You're awesome too, then."

"No!"

"No?" She looked confused.

"Awesome is my word." He sounded almost serious.

"Okay?" She giggled.

"Yeah, you can't use it."

"Fine. Sheesh."

He smiled. "But there are only two people in this school that I've called awesome."

Sakura all of a sudden felt special. "Oh really? Who?"

"You and me."

Sakura's heart smiled and her eyes showed it. "Cool. I'm awesome."

"Don't use my word!" He snapped at her.

"Sorry!"

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They were walking down the main street, already halfway home. Cars were rushing past them at speeds fast enough to make winds that disheveled Sakura's and Sasuke's hair. They were lingering, talking, and enjoying their time. They reached a part of the sidewalk where a house's bushes reached out to half of it, and they had to take turns walking through the short narrowness. Sasuke walked on the edge of the sidewalk even after the street returned wide enough to let two people walk side by side. He swayed a bit, daring to fall into the car bulk.

"That's dangerous," she said matter-of-factly.

"Heh." That mocked her. The cars sped past him violently, making him sway more. He continued to sway, and the more he swayed, the more worried Sakura came to be.

"Don't do that," she looked at him this time, "You might fall and get run over."

And then, ever so bluntly: "I don't care."

Sakura didn't have time to feel surprised by his words, for once he said that, his upper body weight brought him down to the left, and his feet landed onto the road.

No time to think.

Sakura grabbed his sleeve and pulled him back with all the strength she could muster. She felt his weight against her as his balance failed him. She heard the motor of the car that would have hit him fading away. She was panting, scared half to death. Sasuke seemed fine. He looked down at her indifferently.

"Are you crazy?" She breathed out. Now yelling, "What the hell is wrong with you? Are you fucking suicidal?!" She took some time to breathe again. "That was a sick stunt you pulled, man. That was not funny." Sakura rubbed her forehead, avoiding eye contact with him.

Sasuke could tell now that she was genuinely upset. "I'm sorry. I just…"

"Just what?!" she interrupted.

"I don't really care if I die." He continued walking once more, and Sakura had no choice but to walk along.

Silence followed. Sakura opened her mouth in awe. She couldn't think, she couldn't breathe. "Are you really suicidal?"

Sasuke thought for a while. "Not really."

"You just jumped in front of a car."

"On accident." He pointed out.

"On recklessness," she corrected, "Don't be so reckless with your life."

"Don't act like my mom."

Sakura could not believe what just happened, what she was hearing. She didn't want him to die. She didn't want him to feel like dying was okay. Her heart hurt.

"Why don't you care about your life?"

He thought about it for a while. "Well…there's nothing really good about it. It sucks."

"That is the most generic emo phrase I have ever heard."

He looked at her in angry repulsion.

She continued talking. "Well, when I fall into…despair, I turn to think about the people that care about me. I don't feel so lonely then."

Sasuke sneered. "I don't have anyone like that."

This statement shocked her. "What about your parents?"

"They don't care."

"They don't _care?_" she asked in disbelief. "But they're your parents."

"My dad puts me down and my mom doesn't even notice me. I didn't even know them anymore when they remarried after their divorce. They divorced when I as 9."

What he was saying seemed unreal to her. "Your brother?"

"He's an ass."

"Your friends?" She sounded desperate at this point.

"I don't have any."

Come to think of it, Sakura had never seen him hang out with a group of friends at school, let alone have a decent conversation with anyone.

"Wait, what about Tenten?"

Sasuke sighed. "We have common band interests, but that's it. We're not close or anything. She doesn't know me."

Sakura lowered her head. "I'm sorry."

He stared at her, confused. "For what?"

She couldn't tell him how she felt sympathetic pain for him. She couldn't say she knew the loneliness he was feeling right now. He wouldn't believe her. She didn't believe anyone either when she felt this solitary. "You must be very sad."

He laughed a bit. "It's not that bad."

_Hypocrite. Who just tried to get struck by a speeding vehicle?_ "Alright then!" she sounded positive suddenly. "Next time you get a suicidal thought, think of me! I care if you die, so please don't think of dying. And please don't be so reckless anymore."

He must've been surprised because he didn't say anything for a while. He laughed unexpectedly. "What are you saying?"

"I'm totally serious." She smiled. "Give me your phone." She received his cell phone without any remarks and she added her number to his contacts list. "There. Next time you feel hopeless, call me and I will talk to you. If things get too dangerous, I will run to your house and save you!" She beamed.

Sasuke laughed again. "You are weird." Then his smiled faded and he looked away from her. Sakura's eyes followed his face when he turned, looking at his jaw that was delicately defined by his dark bangs. She blushed.

"Actually," he started talking again, "I was supposed to go to therapy today. I have it every Tuesday."

"Therapy?" Sakura only saw people that had therapy in movies and T.V. shows, so it was rather new and strange to her. "What for?"

"My parents think I need help."

"_I_ think you need help…" she mumbled.

"Huh?"

"Nothing. Why didn't you go?"

"Eh…I hate it." He looked up at the sky, thinking. "I always feel like shit afterwards."

Sakura stared at him sadly. "Oh."

Sasuke smiled and shook his shoulders a bit. "I think I've already had my therapy session today."

This made her smile. "You don't need therapy. You need a friend."

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Sasuke walked Sakura home once more, and they parted with a hug. Sakura felt absolute bliss. She would be his friend. She would listen to him when he needed to shout. She would understand him when nobody else could. She would save him when he would be in despair. It was a promise. Sakura never broke promises.

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OMFG finally. tgif seriously. Otherwise I wouldn't have had the time to finish more than half of the chapter today O.o

Sooo yes. Sasuke has issues. Sakura had issues. It will help their friendship grow strong (:

This chapter was not very lovey dovey, but then again, their relationship isn't like that

There will be parts though! Don't be too disappointed

And I would really like to let you guys know how happy I am for the reviews! (: I am looking forward for more xD please!!

Next chapter: Day three: Admitting and Declaration

Yes I am naming chapters now (:


	5. Intermission

Heya how you folks doing? This chapter is not really a chapter, but it is crucial for understanding the story. It's an intermission, filled with sakura just thinking. So not boring right? xD

so bear with me! (:

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Sakura stared at the blank canvas before her; paint brushes ready with thick inspiration filling the room. She breathed in and out slowly. Then, taking the brush and dipping it into the oils, she gently stroked the frail paper.

_Sasuke is such an unfortunate boy._

She drew a black eye.

_He doesn't have anybody. He needs a friend. He needs me._

Another black eye.

_I am his lifeline now. _

Sakura smiled sadly, observing what she had already drawn: two black, familiar eyes staring at her. They were filled with sadness and a tragic story that wasn't completely revealed to her yet. She had no idea why she suddenly felt so attached to those orbs. She missed the real thing. Briefly, she bit at her nails; a bad habit, then continued once more.

_I think I like him. _

And oval face was added. She stopped, unsure whether to continue the picture. It's been two days since she met him. Only two days and why did he feel so close? So far she knew: He's not on good terms with his parents, he doesn't have friends, and he is troubled and doesn't care for his life. All this information was implanted into her brain now, and she would never forget it.

_I will tell him tomorrow. I will tell him that I think I like him. I want him to know._

Sakura felt special. She felt needed and useful. It was only a matter of time before she would see him tomorrow, and she looked forward to it every second. With that thought her attention was moved to her cell phone. It lay still and lifeless. She hoped it would ring at this moment to find Sasuke's name on it, but at the same time she hoped it wouldn't.

_I am alone. _

The thought suddenly hit her. Sakura didn't like being alone. Drawing was one of those things that distracted her. Those terrible feelings she got after school were gone now, thanks to Sasuke's company. And she was happy. But when she was alone, she started to think. All those negative emotions always flowed back inside her.

And she was all by herself now. Paranoia started to take over her. She felt the same hopelessness she had felt in that helpless October, three years ago. Tears slowly began to fill emerald eyes as she stared into the dark eyes of the face she had drawn earlier. Sakura threw her brush down and stumbled down the stairs and into her kitchen.

Her head was spinning. She opened the refrigerator and blindly took out a bottle of vodka. As the beverage poured into the glass, Sakura saw the event once more.

_The car was coming closer, closer. _

_Sakura shunned the sound from her ears and all she saw was the sweet face of her ex. _

_She didn't notice as the car came to a sudden halt. She didn't noticed how loudly the door of the van was opened. She didn't notice how quickly she was pulled in roughly by her arm. _

_Only then when she gasped for air was as the door finally shut. _

Sakura drank quickly, trying so hard to fall under the influence. After a few minutes, a bittersweet smile formed at the corners of her mouth. She felt every part of her body go numb. Her mind went numb as well. She stood up slowly, hanging on to the table. The muscles on her thighs tingled, like they usually did after she drank a lot alcohol. She brought herself to the sofa, and dropped herself with a heavy thud.

She couldn't believe what little time it took for her to get from happy to helpless; how fast she went from painting to drinking.

I hate being alone.

She hugged herself.

She was just as damaged as Sasuke, and she knew it.

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sorry that this wasn't the chapter that was supposed to be posted! It's short and unsatisfying, but you get to know Sakura better, and that was my goal (:

so please review and look forward to the next chapter!


	6. Ch5 Day 3: Admitting and Declaration 1

Once again, thank you for all the wonderful reviews! (:

Chapter 3!! Where Sakura confesses? Hmm…

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Sakura was shaken awake by familiar hands. They were soft and posed no threat. Sakura missed those hands, having shunned them for so long. She opened her tired eyes reluctantly.

"Mom…" her voice was dry.

"Sakura," the name was said harshly, but worry was written inside her mother's eyes, "Why were you sleeping?"

"…huh?"

"Why were you sleeping, Sakura? It's almost 8 pm. Did you even do your homework yet?"

Sakura groaned at the fact that it was so late. "No. I didn't. I'll do it right now." She sat up painfully, stretching her back. Her mother only stared at her. "I don't know how I fell asleep." Sakura smiled faintly. "I just lied down on the couch and that's all I remember."

Her mother folded her arms. "Did something happen at school?"

"No, mom." Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Then why are you so tired?"

"I don't know, okay? I just fell asleep." Sakura stood up. "I'm going to go do my homework now." She quickly left her mom and started walking up the stairs.

"Sakura," her mother said firmly.

Sakura stopped halfway. She looked at her mother and waited.

"Why don't you ever talk to me?"

There was a long pause before Sakura answered. "About what?" she said like she had no idea what her mom was talking about, and left to her room. However, she knew exactly what she was talking about. Sakura hadn't had a decent conversation with her mother since her break up with her boyfriend. She remembered how her mother held her as she broke down…

"_Sakura…" her mother held her, rocking her gently. Sakura hugged her mother, holding onto her so tightly it seemed if she let go, her mom would disappear. Tears flowed down her cheeks and dripped from her chin as she cried loudly. _

"_It hurts so much, mom…" she bawled, the words from her mouth barely understandable, "it hurts so much. It hurts…it hurts…"_

_Sakura's mother lifted her daughter's head and smiled sadly. "Oh my God, Sakura…you love him." _

_Sakura stared wide-eyed at her mother, and soon her vision became blurred as tears flooded her eyes once more. "I do." She bawled at the realization._

_I love him so much._

_Her mother stroked her hair. "It's okay Sakura. He doesn't deserve you, dear. He doesn't deserve somebody who cares this much about him." All she got in response were more tears. Her mom waited a while for Sakura to calm down. "Don't worry about this. First love isn't the same thing as true love. Don't let him get to you."_

Sakura's head hurt too much to care about the memory. She sat down on her chair and took out her assignments. She would be up all night.

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"Sakuraaa," Ino whined. "How do you know Sasuke? You never told me!" Snack time.

"Why do you care, anyway?" Sakura sighed, vexed. She knew this would happen sooner or later.

"Because. I'm wondering why such a cute guy like him would talk to such a weird girl like you." Ino laughed.

"Ha-ha. You're so funny. I should slap you for being so funny."

Ino ignored Sakura's sarcastic remarks and continued to press. "Well?"

Sakura threw her hands in the air. "I don't know! Sheesh. You're so annoying."

Ino frowned. "You don't have to say it like that. How did you two meet anyway?"

Sakura shrugged. "We ran into each other after school and we walked home together."

"You _walked home_ together?" Ino gasped.

Sakura rolled her eyes. There was no stopping this girl. "Yes. We did. What of it?"

"You guys are that close already?"

_You have no idea._ "Of course not."

Ino paused, looking back and forth stealthily. Then she leaned close to Sakura and smiled. "You like him, huh?"

Sakura blushed and glared at her. "No!" She folded her arms defiantly.

Ino sighed and smiled contently. "Now I know for sure that you're lying. It's so easy to predict you!"

"Whatever," she smiled.

"Aha! I knew it. You know you can't fool me."

"Oh yeah. I've never fooled you before," Sakura stated sarcastically.

Ino stuck her tongue out. Sakura had forgotten how immune her friend was to sarcasm. She smiled also, and they both left each other as the bell to 3rd period rang.

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Sakura turned the numbers to her lock, nervous about what she would do today. Lunch. _Am I really going to tell him?_ She was afraid of chickening out. If she didn't tell him today, it would get harder and harder to tell him as days passed. _But I don't even know if I like him. I just_ think _I like him_. Sakura slammed her locker. "God! Whatever happens, happens!"

"What are you saying?"

Sakura quickly turned herself around, her cheeks turning red from embarrassment. "Sasuke! Um…nothing, nothing!" She smiled crookedly. She could tell Sasuke's eyes were laughing at her.

"Anyway," he smiled, "are you going to stay late today? I want to go home early. I want to record a song with my band."

His question assured Sakura that they were now walking home buddies. But her attention was focused on something more interesting. "Band? You're in a band?"

Sasuke smiled proudly; he looked almost excited. "Yeah. I didn't tell you?"

"No!" Sakura exclaimed with excitement. "I want to hear! Wait, what instrument do you play?"

"Oh I play a lot of instruments," he bragged, "but I am a vocalist."

"You sing?" Sakura was shocked. "I want to hear!" she yelled again.

He laughed. "Sure, sure." Sasuke took out his headphones, put one in his ear and gave the other one to Sakura. Sakura jammed it inside her ear quickly and waited. Sasuke scrolled down his iPod, and finally clicked on a specific song.

Sakura listened.

His voice was heavenly. It flowed through the song like a leaf on a river_. I think I may have completely fallen for him now._ When the song was over Sakura smiled and gave him a sly look. "That's not youuu."

Sasuke raised his eyebrows. "Yeah, it's me."

"No way. That doesn't sound like you at all."

"But I'm really the one singing!"

"Yeah right."

"I'm serious."

Sakura waited a while, checking his eyes to see if he was lying. "So that really is you. Wow."

Sasuke smirked. "Wow what? It's not that good."

She scoffed. "Uh, yeah it is! I wish I could sing like that."

"Sure you can; all you need is practice," he smiled bashfully.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "This song," she paused, "was kind of sad."

"Oh. It was about my best friend."

"Your best friend?" Sakura blinked.

"Yeah…" Suddenly Sasuke's eyes grew tired and miserable. "He died around this time last year."

Sakura's eyes widened. She grabbed him by his arm and pulled him away into the corner near them so that they could talk privately. "He died?" She sounded like her breath was cut off.

Sasuke wasn't looking at her anymore, but somewhere else to avoid eye contact. "He died in late February."

It was early March.

"Sasuke…" was the only thing she could say. Sakura couldn't even imagine the pain he was going through right now. Now she knew why he looked so miserable when he was alone. They were so alike. Sakura felt like crying. However, she desperately wanted to know how he died, but she feared to ask any questions about this sensitive topic.

Then, as if answering her question: "He died from blood loss. He slit his wrists."

Sakura put her hand over her mouth. "Oh my God." Then she was silent. His friend was suicidal as well? They had probably gone through a lot together. Suddenly it all made sense to her. _Unbelievable._

Sasuke smiled, his entire body going tense as he leaned himself against the wall. "That bastard…he had to go cut himself."

His smiled reminded him of herself when she was feeling this kind of pain. "You can cry if you want."

This surprised him. He stared at her, his smiled gone. "What?"

"I won't think less of you. Nobody can see us anyway."

"What are you talking about?" he was glaring now. "I'm not going to cry."

Sakura rolled her eyes at his boyish response. "I know why you're smiling. You're smiling so you won't cry."

Sasuke didn't say another word to her.

"Smiling like that helps to stop tears from coming out. You don't fool me." She smiled faintly, looking at the ground.

Sasuke stayed silent for a few moments and then he grinned. "Yeah." He was caught and he knew it. "You know a lot."

"But Sasuke," Sakura felt herself shrinking inside as she laid out what she was going to say, "you don't need to follow in your friend's footsteps." She heard him scoff. Sakura raised her voice. "I'm pretty sure he wouldn't want you too either."

Sasuke stayed silent, listening. He was now looking at her.

"And…you should learn from your friend. He didn't die for nothing." She paused. "I know you're feeling hopeless and like there is no way to be happy again. You're scarred… but the pain you're going through right now will make you stronger in the future. Please don't waste the gift your friend has given you."

Sasuke swallowed hard. "What gift?" he chocked out in disbelief.

"Life."

He couldn't take it anymore. "What life?! Is this the life that bastard wanted me to have? Then fuck it!"

"Don't be blind!" Sakura yelled back at him. This took him aback. "I don't know what kind of life you had while you were still friends, but it didn't seem like a good one since your friend did what he did."

Sasuke lowered his head, staring at the floor. He ran his fingers through his hair, grabbing his head in pain. His heart hurt.

"But he's given you a chance to start over…in a good way. Please be thankful for him. Please don't waste it…"

Silence took over the conversation for a while. Until Sasuke, "Why…" he brought his head back up to look at her, his eyes watery but he wasn't crying, "Why do you know everything I'm feeling?"

Sakura fell quiet. She realized that she had just skinned his coat that defended him from breaking. She had revealed his tricks, his emotions, and the truth he couldn't figure out by himself. And now he was naked and defenseless. It was only fair that he deserved a truthful answer. "Because I've been through a lot too. And I've analyzed your behavior enough to know how you feel…" she smiled, "People call me Dr. Sakura because it seems like I know everything about their problems. But the secret is I've had a lot of experience. That's why."

Sasuke let out a deep breath. "Thanks." He rubbed his temples. "Wow. This is weird."

Sakura smiled in a mother-like way. "Don't worry about a thing. Just talk to me whenever you need to. I promise I will help you."

"Yeah, thanks," he smiled. Then he bit his lip and looked up at the sky. He began to leave. "Later."

"Bye, Sasuke." She smiled and watched him linger away. As soon as he was gone from sight, she leaned her back against the wall and started to breathe heavily. All the things that had happened to this poor boy seemed surreal and unbelievable. To her it seemed like she was feeling every ounce of pain he had to endure. _I can't help feeling this strong sympathy. I don't want him to be sad anymore. It makes me feel empty._ She grabbed her chest. She hoped together, they would keep each other up.

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Okay…I can explain!!! I know I said that next chapter would be a confession…well it is! This chapter is only half of the whole chapter 5 xD

I'm sorry! I didn't think it would turn out this long! If I continued this would be like 10 pages long and I'm feeling lazyyy

So please forgive me!

I couldn't put up the song that they were listening to. The person asked me not to ;P

Looking forward to reviews ;D….hopefully? hehe


	7. Author's Note

I apologize sincerely for the lack of updates

There has been a death my family, so we are trying to adjust right now

I will continue writing as soon as I find the energy to (: please be patient for me!


	8. Ch6 Day 3: Admitting and Declaration 2

Guess whatttt

I'm back! :D I've been gone a while, so I'm hoping I haven't lost my readers??

Please forgive my absence. (:

And also, please read the author's note at the bottom! Thank you!

And here's another chapter….ch.6 Admitting and Declaration 2

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Throughout fifth period, all Sakura could think about was what Sasuke had told her at lunch. His trembling body, his watery eyes, the misery on his face; all was burned into her eyes, and that was all she could see. Her own hands shook as she thought about his pitiful state. A boy his age should never be faced with problems like those.

As the bell rang to sixth period, Sakura stumbled. How would she face him as she walked into that classroom after what he told her? She walked with adrenaline flowing through her heart in perpetuity; a feeling she rarely received. Sakura checked her watch as she stood outside the classroom, so she would have exactly one minute left before entering the rattrap. Surprisingly to her, he hadn't even looked up from his desk when she came in. _He's probably brooding_, she thought, for he seemed to do that a lot.

The class went by slowly and most painfully for Sakura, since Sasuke hadn't lifted his head at all. The problem was he sat all the way across the room, on the opposite end from her. Sakura played around with her fingers, twisted herself in her seat, doodled on her hands, and wrote obscenities on her desk; all but pay attention. How could she, when the boy she cared the most for was lost in a maelstrom of unhappy thoughts?

Finally, God's angels descended and rang the bell for her, ending her agony. _Thank you_, _Jesus_; she smiled, although all she really needed to thank was time and patience itself. She stood up abruptly, and having misplaced her feet, tripped on the leg of her desk. She caught herself, breathing a little heavily from the shock.

"What a loser." She heard a deep chuckle.

"Thanks, Sasuke." She said sarcastically. "I'll remember that."

He chuckled once more, and headed towards the door. "Yeah, whatever. Come on, I want to go home."

She faltered closer to him. "Yeah, together. Because we're walking home buddies!" she smiled.

Sasuke's eyes moved to the side. "Walking home buddies? Okay, I guess so." The corners of his mouth lifted gaily. (yeah, I used gaily. So what?)

Walking together to their lockers brought a kind of euphoria to Sakura. _Side by side, shoulder to shoulder_. Her face soon turned red with a smile.

"What's up with you?"

"Huh?" she jumped slightly, snapped out of her thoughts.

"Your face is all red. It reminds me of a tomato."

Sakura stared at him, and suddenly she furrowed her eye brows. "What?!" she said angrily.

"You just got redder." He smiled.

She touched her cheeks, more surprised than angry now, to find that they were hot. "Oh…ah man." She fanned herself violently.

Sasuke chuckled at this, and said, "It's fine. I like tomatoes. They're good…Hey, you're getting redder. Don't blow up."

And that was what mostly their journey consisted of, to and from their lockers and onto the street they walked home on together everyday.

"Man, the sky is so blue. No clouds. It's so fucking hot."

Sakura giggled. "I don't think it's that bad. I like it when it's hot."

A stare. "Fucking crazy…"

"Whaaat?"

Sakura's mixed feelings fumbled around in her chest. She needed to tell him. By nature, she was impulsive, and her impulse told her to tell. Tell! Tell him! Her mind didn't let her think once of any consequences before she spoke.

"Sasuke."

"Hmm?"

"I think…" sudden nervousness. She stopped.

Sasuke twisted his head towards her, now interested. He hadn't heard her voice hesitate at all since they met; it was important enough to give her his full attention.

"I think I like you."

For a while both of them just stared forward and walked on. Silence. Complete disregard. Her heart hurt. When they finally reached the crosswalk, Sakura spoke, a bit in disbelief. "Say something."

Sasuke cringed in position, looking away. "Man…I don't know."

Those words stung her in the chest, and it felt like all her emotions poured out from her heart, and it was an empty shell. "Uh…oh…"

They crossed the street silently.

Sakura's quivering legs gave out, and she sat down on her lawn. Suddenly her eyes felt wet, and tiny salty tears rolled down her cheeks uncontrollably. She looked down quickly, trying to hide from his glance. "I-I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm crying. I don't know." She wiped her cheeks but the tears kept coming. Rejection hurt a lot, especially to Sakura. Her past and her willingness to love freely made it worse for her. It was naive but it was the only way she lived by.

Sasuke sat beside her. She didn't look at him, so she couldn't see his reaction to her state. It seemed like an eternity before anyone spoke.

Suddenly, "I'm not ready."

Silence.

"I'm not ready for that type of relationship. I just really need a friend. Is that okay?"

His words were gentle and honest, and it eased Sakura's pain. She wiped her face dry with her shirt and finally looked at him in the face. No emotion from him.

She smiled sadly. "I'm sorry. I didn't think I would cry. I just can't handle stuff like this."

A sigh. "It's okay."

Silence once more.

"I just really need a friend right now. Please?"

Sakura smiled and stood up, talking happily, trying to make the past events disappear. "Of course! We'll be friends. I'll always have your back."

Sasuke smiled, more in relief than in happiness. "Awesome." He stood up as well.

Sakura laughed, her eyes still puffy from crying. "Ah, well I better go home now." She received a nod. Sakura smiled happily and gave him a hug. She left, walking down the little pavement to her front door.

"Sakura." He stopped her halfway. She turned around quickly, with eyes filled with anticipation.

Sasuke hesitated, feeling flustered. "You won't cry at home because of me…will you?"

Sakura smiled sadly. "I probably will."

"Aw, come on…" he whined.

She giggled. "Alright, alright I won't."

He smiled and started to walk away.

"Bye Sasuke!"

A wave.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

there you go! It's not exciting I know x3

but that's how it rolls

okay fellow sasusaku fans, I need to tell you something

this part of the story that involves sakura and sasuke (yes there will be a sequel to Keys) is only half of the story. It's not even the main plot xD I am so sorry!!

But it is important to show (don't worry! There will be lots of sasusaku parts! ;3)

So I am very sorry to tell you that the story is really narusaku

Well, I DID mention before the first chapter that the story was narusakusasu

Don't worry though, sasuke will be there throughout the whole thing ;)

So I am asking for a favor from you all.

If you know any narusaku fans, PLEASE recruit them to this story! Pretty pretty please!!

Trust me, it ends GREAT! xD I hope you think so too

Thank you guys!! Please review and tell me you still care about this story!


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